What are the Differences between the Abrahamic Faiths?

[InLove]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

Would you mind if I suggest a couple of sites to check out?

By all means, point me to them! Thanks.

InPeace,
InLove

[InLove]

Ahh, phooey! Last post not showing up (again).

Bumping thread so it will show up.

There, that's better.

[Muslimwoman]

Sorry InLove sweetie, rather busy these days. Will post some threads tonight but haven't forgotten.

Salaam

[InLove]

That's cool. I found some more, too. They look a little more balanced. Maybe I'll ask you about them later on--or maybe some will be the same as yours.

No worries. Busy on this end as well.

InPeace,
InLove

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by InLove

That's cool. I found some more, too. They look a little more balanced. Maybe I'll ask you about them later on--or maybe some will be the same as yours.

No worries. Busy on this end as well.

InPeace,
InLove

Hee, hee we both say we are so busy.....so why are we on a forum on the internet must be the addiction or we are scared of missing something.

[InLove]

Haha! Yes.

Gotta go take care of phone calls. Check.

Socks and t-shirts in the washer. Check.

Passing by office door with laundry folded, so check CR. Check.

Put laundry away in bedroom. Check. Change into gardening apparel. Check.

Pass back by office on the way to flowerbeds. Check CR. Check.

Might as well check email. So, while I am here, might as well check CR. Check.

And so it goes....

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by InLove

Haha! Yes.

Gotta go take care of phone calls. Check.

Socks and t-shirts in the washer. Check.

Passing by office door with laundry folded, so check CR. Check.

Put laundry away in bedroom. Check. Change into gardening apparel. Check.

Pass back by office on the way to flowerbeds. Check CR. Check.

Might as well check email. So, while I am here, might as well check CR. Check.

And so it goes....

Are you spying on me? That is exactly how it goes.

Actually I fib. I am trying to get an internet business up and running, so you can imagine:

Type some text....change to CR tab
Do a search.....change to CR tab
Hubby walks through room....change back and look busy
Hubby goes out.....change to CR tab
Nip out to put dinner on....check CR
Type some text.....change to CR

and round it goes, for every hour I work I spend an hour on here and my hubby doesn't understand why the website design is so slow....good job he doesn't understand computers

[Muslimwoman]

As salaam aleykum InLove

At last, sorry it took so long. Try these for starters:

http://www.beconvinced.com/en/main.php?action=showcat&catid=07

Not the prettiest site but good info when you learn where to look. Is very basic but a good place to get the general principles.


http://www.islamicgarden.com/fundamentals.html

This takes you through the fundamentals of Islam.


http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/scategory.asp?catid=5

This is great for looking up questions and answers, be aware it is only one Islamic view and I am sure you know by now various views go from one extreme to the other but I find this site tends to answer according to my understanding of the Quran and is what I would class as middle of the road opinion. Please also be aware that it can be very difficult at times to find which sites are Sunni and which are Shia, whose doctrines can be very different - if you are not sure just ask.

I would be interested to know which sites you have found.

Salaam sister

[InLove]

As salaam aleykum, Muslimwoman

Thank you for the references. That should keep me busy for a while. I'll compare them to what I have been reading. One of them does look familiar...I'll get back to you pretty soon.

I do so enjoy your friendship. Nice to know this can happen.

Salaam, sister

InPeace,
InLove

[Faithfulservant]

ROFL thanks for the laugh.

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by InLove

I do so enjoy your friendship. Nice to know this can happen.

wa aleykum salaam sister

Me too. It just goes to show you doesn't it, all those people telling us it is our duty to hate each other. I wish they had a smilie that blows raspberries.

Big hugs

Salaam

[InLove]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

ROFL thanks for the laugh.

Hi FS. So I am guessing that you have one of those "CR Anonymous" cards in your pocketbook, too?

InPeace,
InLove

[InLove]

Shalom/Salaam/Peace To All Here

Thanks for being so patient with me, Muslimwoman. It has been quite some time since I’ve posted here on this thread, but this is in part because I feel it is important to carefully consider what I say and how I say it on this board. I am so glad to be welcome here, and I don’t want to mess that up.

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

I would be interested to know which sites you have found.

Well, I have been to so many sites since I last spoke to you that now I am not sure which ones I was referring to at the time! I think one of them may have been The Islamic Garden site. I am really appreciative of all your help. I am reading the Qu'ran--all of it this time and not just the parts that were emphasized at the Baptist university I attended for a while . They meant well, but I think that they left out some really important stuff! Anyway, I usually have windows open all over the place when I am reading.

Please also be aware that it can be very difficult at times to find which sites are Sunni and which are Shia, whose doctrines can be very different - if you are not sure just ask.

You weren’t kidding about that! It is extremely difficult for me at times, but I think I am beginning to be able to distinguish. And I have run across several places in my research where it is obvious that there is a deep desire from many Muslims to reconcile what differences they can or at least to regard one another in brotherly love in respect for and in devotion to Allah. I think that is good—the rest of the world needs to hear this, and no one but Muslims can do it. Same with the Christian community.

Okay, so I have about a gazillion questions I could ask. Where to start? I’ve thought a long time about this, even prayed about it. Finally, this morning, I was reading back through this entire thread when I noticed something I had not noticed before: The consensus here so far seems to be that the differences between the Abrahamic faiths all boil down to either our various interpretations of Messiah-ship (ß--is that even a word?), the authority and/or reliability of our Holy Books and Sacred Texts (which seems to be just as much an intra-faith issue as an inter-faith one), or the characteristics of G!d/Allah.

What we do seem to agree on is that Allah/G!d is constant, merciful, just, wise, and even loving, and that it is humankind who distorts matters. Sometimes inadvertantly and sometimes on purpose (and a thousand woes to the latter, we all say).

But I am wondering, since most of us seem to believe that the ways of the One we worship are not completely knowable—that is, they are for the most part a mystery, at least for now—then how do we determine if and exactly when someone came along and purposely distorted the truth? I don’t know about you guys, but I think that we have to be very careful about where we place the blame, if we even dare.

I had some other questions I was going to ask, because I am drawn to some details in our respective literature (I hope it is okay with everyone that I have referred to our beloved Texts in this way--if not, I apologize. Feel free to beat me over the head with your version of choice. ) And I probably will ask them in the future. But I think I may go to the individual boards to increase my knowledge in these areas. For now, I guess I just wanted to toss the thoughts on this post out here and see what comes back.

InPeace,
InLove

[Muslimwoman]

Originally Posted by InLove

then how do we determine if and exactly when someone came along and purposely distorted the truth? I don’t know about you guys, but I think that we have to be very careful about where we place the blame, if we even dare.

wa aleykum salaam InLove

I am so happy that you are reading the entire Quran, rather than the randomly selected verses used to shore up arguments - thank you. I hope you will be as surprised by it as I was when first reading it.

alfa salaam

[InLove]

Originally Posted by Muslimwoman

wa aleykum salaam InLove

I am so happy that you are reading the entire Quran, rather than the randomly selected verses used to shore up arguments - thank you. I hope you will be as surprised by it as I was when first reading it.

alfa salaam

wa aleykum salaam, dear MW

Yes, it was the textbook that emphasized certain passages. But I was fortunate to have an instructor who realized this and spoke a few words of Wisdom to us on the subject.

I must admit that, like so many here in "the western world", reading those passages first served only to invite anger and fear into my soul. But before I took these classes, I had almost married into a Muslim family, and so I knew that there was more to it. But they were not inclined to talk much about their religion, and I always felt like I was prying when I asked questions.

One of the things I have wanted to talk about for a while is the story of Ishmael and Hagar, but I am not sure whether this is a subject I should bring up. I have always thought that the passage in the Old Testament about them in the desert was so profound. Hagar's desperation, and G!d's promise, and the water. I know that the Bible and the Qu'ran do not tell exactly the same account, but both are beautiful. I have been reading along on the thread here somewhere about the Zamzam water, too. Anyway, I will probably be looking around for discussions about this subject, and maybe I can post my questions there. What do you think? I know it can be a sore spot when it comes to interfaith study attempts.

A thousand blessings of Peace to you, too, habibty

InPeace,
InLove